Chandrayaan-3: Startup founders are jubilant after India leaves an indelible mark on the moon
With the success of the Chandrayaan-3 mission, India has become the first country to land on the moon's south pole. Here's how Indian startup founders are reacting to this momentous feat.
Startup founders are ecstatic and proud after India scripted history with its successful Chandrayaan-3 mission. This feat, they believe, will strengthen India's position as a global superpower and lead to renewed interest in Indian space startups.
Yesterday, India became the fourth country to land on the moon, as Chandrayaan-3's lander module made a soft landing on the lunar surface. Till then, only the United States, China, and the former Soviet Union had soft-landed on the lunar surface. India also became the first country to land on the moon's south pole.
Here's how Indian startup founders are reacting to this momentous achievement.
Prateek Maheshwari, Co-founder, , said the success of India's space mission is a testament to the power of frugality and innovation.
"By instilling solid checks and balances at every level of the program, India has demonstrated that achieving remarkable feats doesn't have to come at a high cost," said Maheshwari, in a statement.
He also said when careful resource management is combined with forward-thinking creativity, the sky is not the limit, it's just the beginning.
Chandrayaan-3 mission was built and launched at a budget of $75 million, significantly lower than Russia's Luna25, which cost $200 million. It is also much cheaper than the Apollo 11 mission of the United States of America.
Pranav Pai, Founding Partner, , described the achievement as a culmination of a generation of dedication, technical innovation, and perseverance.
"It is also timely, as India cements its position as a top five global economy and marches towards $5 trillion and the third largest country on the economic leaderboard. We look forward to a deeper investment in leading indigenous technology from here, and more inspiration for us all building tech in India!” he said.
"ISRO’s achievement will be spoken about for perpetuity, and this will inspire many more of India’s best students to become part of the technology revolution in the country," he added.
Kartik Ganapathy, Founding Partner, IndusLaw, hopes the Chandrayaan-3 mission will pave the way for renewed interest in Indian companies involved in the space sector, especially in the areas of exploration, component manufacturing, navigation and mapping, and observational data.
"The newly minted Indian Space Policy 2023 seems to send a signal to Indian industry that their role in India’s space exploration agenda is now being actively sought.
"This juxtaposed with the successful Chandrayaan-3 mission and moon landing are happy indications of what is hopefully a positive surge in the space sector and allied industries in India," he said, adding that the achievement could solidify India's position as a global superpower in space.
Tweets pour in
Startup founders are also waxing eloquent on social media platform X.
Congratulations are pouring in for the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the force behind the epoch-making event.
Vidit Aatrey, Founder and CEO, , tweeted, "Kudos to our amazing scientists at ISRO for making this happen. Will inspire many generations of Indians to think big and bold."
It is not just a historic moment for Indian space, but it also marks an epoch in India's emergence as a global leader, said , in a tweet.
"The meticulous planning, skill, ingenuity and perseverance of Team ISRO and the unwavering vision of the Indian leadership have once again made India shine before the world," the post reads.
Awais Ahmed, founder and CEO of Space, expressed, "When Chandrayaan-3 touched the Moon today, it's not just a spaceship touching down, it's a nation's dreams, hopes and future converging on a single point in the vastness of space. This triumph by ISRO resonates deeply with all of us in the Indian space sector."
This sentiment was echoed by Anirudh Sharma, Founder & CEO of , a space situational awareness company.
"An incredible moment for the Indian space industry. Witnessing the successful landing on the Moon fills us with immense pride. Hats off to ISRO! Exciting times ahead as we continue to push boundaries!" Sharma said on Twitter.
Srinath Ravichandran, Co-founder of , posted on X that such milestones make it amazing to be part of a space startup. "The screaming, yelling and applause is unparalleled," he wrote.
Significance of India's moon mission
The Indian Space Research Organisation launched the Chandrayaan-3 lunar mission on July 14. The mission consists of three components: a propulsion module, the Vikram lander, and the Pragyan rover.
The lander will carry out experiments on seismic vibrations, near-surface plasma, lunar temperature, thermal conductivity, elemental composition, and spectral signatures of Earth.
The landing site is closer to the moon's south pole, which holds significant scientific and strategic interest due to its potential for water ice deposits. This frozen water could be used as rocket fuel or drinking water for future crewed missions.
(YourStory will update the copy with more reactions from startup founders and entrepreneurs.)
Edited by Swetha Kannan